The Night Shift

THE NIGHT SHIFT

Lenses out and thick glasses on
Time for my night personality,
Time to earn illicitly.

Radford Road, the smell of Italian dough,
Welcomes and reminds me
Of the coming night driving the pizza
Across a city hungry and waiting,
And not always all that patient.

First orders, student boarders, two for oners
Then the house parties kick in
“Three ..no Four pizza’s please” and free tins of Cola
Hoping for tips as they pay for their treat
But trying not to jingle change too loudly
As I hurry back to my driving seat

In the early hours the orders slow
Time moves heavy as we wait for a call.
On suburban roads the cars are few
And as the city sleeps, my imagination plays
Sweeping away
Area housing, schools and parks,
To reveal a pre-historic Nottingham
Of hanging hillsides, and steep ravines,
Carving their ancient ways through the city dark.

Fox eyes gleam as I take a corner
And turn onto Forest Road
A few pros still waiting like late party-goers
Hoping for a paying lift.

I slow for the red lights
But cannot stop…

The shop may have another order
And I’ve got to earn to.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bang! Bang! on my door,”…have my rent, please!”
The late nights are hard the morning after,
And I know what people think of dole cheats,
But, from my kitchen a pizza dough beckons…
So small talk now, and pay,
And when the landlady walks, breakfast awaits!

Feb 2009